Parker was one of the first charter schools created under the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993. Started by area parents and teachers, it received its charter on March 15, 1994, opening for the 1995–1996 school year as an Essential School dedicated to the principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools. CES founder Ted Sizer was involved in its founding, and he served as co-principal with his wife Nancy in the 1998–1999 school year. Every five years the school is reviewed by the state to see whether the school's charter should be renewed. Parker's charter was renewed in 2014. In 1999, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges selected Parker as a "candidate member school" for accreditation, and it was accredited in 2002. Parker also is home to the Regional Teachers center. Teachers provide professional help to other teachers, give workshops, and take part in educational conferences. The New Teachers Collaborative is a program that allows beginning teachers to earn their teacher certification in one school year. In addition to Parker, NTC places teachers at Innovation Academy Charter School in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. As with all Commonwealth Charter Schools in Massachusetts, Parker receives its funding from the local aid accounts of its students' sending school districts. Because Massachusetts charter schools cannot receive state or local funding for facilities acquirement or improvement, Parker has had to find other solutions to its housing issues. From its opening in 1995 to 2000, Parker was located in a former Army spy-training building leased from MassDevelopment, a semi-private base redevelopment authority. While this facility provided sufficient space, it lacked windows, a cafeteria, or a gym. In 2000, the school moved to its current residence, a 1950s-era elementary school, also leased from MassDevelopment, until it was acquired in August 2007.
Faculty
Parker employed about 44 full-time equivalent teachers in the 2006–2007 school year; the average class size is 15 students and the student to teacher ratio is 8.3 to 1. Parker teachers tend to be young, and the school's relationship with the Harvard Graduate School of Education means that many young teachers start at Parker to intern and decide to stay. The teachers are also well-educated; as of 2006, about two-thirds of the school's faculty held advanced degrees, and 95.2% were designated Highly Qualified Teachers according to the No Child Left Behind Act. However, as of 2008, only 65.8% are licensed in their teaching assignment, below the state average. On average over the past 10 years, 16% of teachers have not returned annually, which is less than the 20% national average for public schools. The average years of service for teachers at Parker is 4.5 years, with an average teaching experience of 6.9 years. Some leave to take on leadership roles in other essential schools elsewhere in the country. Though Parker spends a greater percentage of its total funds on its teachers than any school in the state, its teachers are paid less than teachers at other local public schools, in part due to the lack of a teachers' union. This is usually perceived as being a reason for high teacher turnover, but according to a report by former principal Teri Schrader, the vast majority of teacher departures being for other reasons.
Parker has numerous clubs and activities. There is a student jazz band and there have several student bands over the years, most notably The Demons of Stupidity, Schmendrique, Crevice, Federal Meat Inspection, and Cageboys. Every year Parker had multiple teams compete in CoMap a 36-hour math competition. In 2016 a CyberPatriot team was approved. Several times a year, students and teachers showcase their music and poetry skills at Café Wednesday. There are usually about two play productions a year. Parker also has a Destination ImagiNation team; a Parker team went to the Global Finals in 2005 and 2006. Other groups include a Mock Trial team that made it to the state finals in 2002 and state semi finals in 2010. A rocket club reached the 2006 and 2007 national finals of the Team America Rocketry Challenge. In the past, there was a math team that participated in the Worcester County Mathematics League.
Athletics
Despite Ted Sizer's objection to the overemphasis of the role of sports in public high schools, athletics have become an important part of the Parker identity over time. The school now fields teams in cross country, track and field, soccer, basketball, baseball, and softball and is a member of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. About half of the student body participates in at least one sport. Parker also has a wildly successful cross country program lead by head coach and AD Ben Benoit. They compete in the Colonial Athletic League and are currently undefeated for 12 years and counting. For the first time in Parker school history the Panthers took home a MIAA XC state title in 2017, then in 2018 they secured a CMASS district title. In 2019 they placed 2nd in the state with two all state finishers.
